Medicinal Plants

Kerala is endowed with abundant plant life and most of us are not aware of the importance of preservation and protection of these plants both flowering and medicinal. Conservation of plants around us deserves high priority as some of them are getting endangered. Medicinal plants play an essential role in the development of human culture. Cultivation and preservation of medicinal plants protect biological diversity of Kerala. Here are some of the medicinal plants used in Ayurveda for making medicines. AambalEnglish name: Water lillyBotanical Name: Nymphaea stellata

Medicinal uses: Powdered rhizomes are given for dyspepsia, diarrhea and haemorrhoids. Infusion is emollient and diuretic and is used for blenorrhagia and diseases of urinary tract. Macerated leaves are used as a lotion for eruptive fevers. Leaves are also used for erysipelas and seeds as stomachic and restorative. Decoction of flowers is narcotic.
AanachuvadyEnglish name: Prickly leaved elephant footBotanical name:Elephantopus scaber

Medicinal uses: Mucilaginous decoction of roots and leaves are used as emollient for dysuria, diarrhoea, dysentery, swellings and stomach pain. Root is prescribed to prevent vomiting. Powdered with pepper it is applied for tooth-ache. Leaves are used in applications for eczema and ulcers.
Amukkuram English name: Winter cherryBotanical name:Withania somnifera

Medicinal uses: Roots of the plant are used for hiccups, coughs, dropsy, rheumatism, and as a sedative in cases of senile debility. Also used in the form of an external application for inflammatory conditions, ulcers, and scabies. Leaves are used as a febrifuge and applied to lesions, painful swellings and sore eyes. It is also used in rejuvenating preparations.
ArayalEnglish name: Sacred fig

Botanical name: Ficus religiosa

Medicinal uses: Fruits and tender buds of Arayal are used as laxative. Infusion is used for ulcers and skin troubles. Bark is used for liver diseases.

Medicinal uses: Bark is used for skin ailments. Leaves are considered antiseptic, applied to boils in the form of poultice. Leaf decoction is given for ulcers and eczema. Neem flower is used as tonic and stomachic. Berries are purgative and emollient. Seeds yield non-drying oil used for skin afflictions. Neem is occasionally obtained as exudation and is used as a tonic. It has excellent viricidal properties.

Medicinal uses: Asokam flower is used as an astringent and for uterine afflictions. It is also used as a uterine tonic and is excellent in maintaining menstrual rhythm. It is also used for treating depression in women. One of the main medicines made of this is Asokarishtam.

Medicinal uses: Dry twigs of Chittamrith with the bark intact constitute the drug. It is used as anti-spasmodic, antipyretic and anti-inflammatory. Starch prepared from stem is used as a tonic. Effective for diabetes and urinary infections and is used for general debility, dyspepsia and fevers.

Medicinal uses: It is used as a diaphoretic. Paste prepared from roots is applied for extraction of guinea worms. Mixed with Tulsi juice it is applied to itchy eruptions on the skin. Fruit, a constituent of Kshara Guda, is used for the enlargement of spleen.

Medicinal uses: Used for liver and spleen enlargements. Decoction is given for cough. Herb is used as a sedative, diuretic and digestive. Leaves are haemostatic and roots are used as poultice for cracks in the feet.

Medicinal uses: Seeds are emollient, lactagogue and diuretic. A plaster made from seeds is applied on wounds. It is also applied on skin eruptions. A paste of sesame seeds mixed with butter is applied for haemorrhoids. It is an important ingredient in anti-fertility drugs.

Medicinal uses: Bark is a bitter tonic, febrifuge, anthelmintic, haemostatic and
galactagogue. Used for chronic diarrhoea, asthma and cardiac troubles. Leaves are used for
beri-beri and congested liver. Flowers act as depressant.

Medicinal uses: Cloves are aromatic, stimulant and carminative. Used for dyspepsia and gastric irritation. Used externally as a counter-irritant. Oil from seeds is employed as analgesic for hyper-sensitive dentines. Also used as an anti-spasmodic.

Medicinal uses: Recommended for inflammation of urinary passages and bladder. Nutmeg butter or fat obtained from nutmeg is a mild external stimulant used in ointments, hair lotions and plasters. It is also applied for rheumatism, sprains and paralysis. Raw fruit is very effective for all kinds of stomach disorders.

Medicinal uses: Fruits are laxative, stomachic and tonic. Coarsely powdered fruit is smoked for asthma. Bark is diuretic and cardiotonic. Kadukka is one of the main ingredients for the famous Ayurvedic preparation triphala which is used in the treatment of enlarged liver, stomach disorders and pain in the eyes. It is a popular remedy for piles.

Medicinal uses: Tonic, stimulant and febrifuge. It is also used in preparations for nervous disorders. Seeds are prescribed for colic and as emetic. Leaves are applied to maggot infested ulcers and the juice from fresh wood is used for dyspepsia.

Medicinal uses: Fresh juice of Kattar Vazha leaves is cathartic and refrigerant. It is used for liver and spleen ailments and applied on x-ray burns, dermatitis, cutaneous leishmaniasis and other disorders. Extract of the leaves inhibits growth of mycobacterium tuberculosis. Thickened juice of the leaves is used for haemorrhoidal congestion of stomach and spleen, also for prolapsed uterus.

Medicinal uses: Krishna Tulsi is anti-bacterial and mosquito repellent. Leaves can be used as stimulant, diaphoretic, antipyretic and expectorant. Also used for catarrh and cutaneous diseases. Infusion is used as a stomachic. Decoction of roots is given as a diaphoretic for malarial fevers. Seeds are used for genito-urinary diseases.

Medicinal uses: In Ayurveda, Kumizhu is used as an alternative astringent to the intestinal problems, used as a medicine for growth of hairs and is also useful for anaemia, leprosy, ulcers and vaginal discharge.

Medicinal uses: Pepper is an aromatic stimulant, used for weakness following fever, as stomachic, antipyretic for malarial fever and applied externally as rubefacient. It is locally applied for sore throat, haemorrhoids and cutaneous troubles.

Medicinal uses: Used as stimulant, tonic and laxative. Hot infusion is emetic and diaphoretic, decoction of leaves is haemostatic. An aqueous extract of shoots is a cardiac stimulant and is also applied to fresh wounds.

Medicinal uses: Tonic and stimulant, used for chest complaints, convulsions, cramps and inflammatory tumours. Ash mixed with lime juice is given for stomach ache. Leaves and roots are styptic, decoction of leaves is given for diabetes, asthma and phthisis.

Medicinal uses: All parts of the tree are used in the treatment of ascites, toxic bites, rheumatism and as cardiac and circulatory stimulants. Roots are rubefacient and vesicant. Leaves are useful for scurvy and catarrhal infections. Flower is diuretic and cholagogue.
Seed is antipyretic.

Medicinal uses: Used for epilepsy and nervous disorders. Ointment used for sores, old ulcers and haemorrhoids. Decoction of leaves is given for blennorrhagia. Roots are used for urinary complaints and hepatitis. It is used for making hair oil which promotes hair growth or hair treatment.

Medicinal uses: Decoction is used in black-water fever, roots employed as a styptic for scrofula. Infusion is emetic. Powdered roots are used as a snuff which also removes warts when smeared over them.

Medicinal uses: Strong antioxidant. Fruits are sour and astringent, cooling diuretic, laxative and are used in the treatment of mental disorders. It is the chief component of rejuvenating preparations. Also used in hair dyes and shampoos.

Medicinal uses: Tuberous roots are used for skin ailments. It is considered demulcent, diuretic and tonic. In combination with aromatics and bitters it is used for haemorrhoids, diarrhoea, jaundice and asthma.

Medicinal uses: Roots are diuretic and lithontriptic. Powdered leaves are used as a uterine tonic after parturition. Bark and wood of tree is used in thirst quenching preparations. Pathimukham is also considered as anti-cancerous.

Medicinal uses: Infusion of the herb in combination with quinine is useful against malaria. Juice is given for incontinence of urine and also for coughs and colic. Roots are bitter and used as anthelmintic. Decoction is given for diarrhoea and stomachache. Flowers are used for fever, rheumatism and conjunctivitis.

Medicinal uses: Rich in vitamin C and potassium oxalates. Plant is diuretic, anti-scorbutic and refrigerant. Used for liver and digestive disorders, urinary infection, haemorrhage and also to remove cancerous growths from lips.

Medicinal uses: Oil is applied for rheumatism and skin infections. Pounded bark is applied for orchites. Juice is purgative. Decoction is employed for inordent ulcers. Tree yields a resin which is emetic and purgative.

Medicinal uses: Used to relieve nervous disorders including anxiety, excitement, maniacal behaviour associated with psychosis, schizophrenia, hypertension etc. Extracts of roots are valued for intestinal troubles. Roots are believed to stimulate uterine contraction. Juice of leaves is used for clearing corneal opacity. Also used as a sedative.

Medicinal uses: Herb tonic, diuretic, and galactagogue. Fresh root juice is mixed with honey and given for dyspepsia. Roots form a constituent of medicinal oils and are used for nervous and rheumatic complaints. Tubers are cooling and demulcent. Used for cardiac dropsy and chronic gout.

Medicinal uses: Roots are used as expectorant, diuretic and laxative and also for asthma and dropsy associated with chronic Bright's disease. Inflammations like arthritis, joint pain etc, anaemia, ailments of lungs (like cough, asthama etc) gets reduced by the intake of Thazhuthama or Punarnava. It is also used to improve and protect eyesight.

Medicinal uses: Roots and fruits are used for respiratory tract infections and as counter-irritant and analgesic for muscular pains and inflammation. They are used as a snuff for coma and drowsiness or taken internally as a carminative and as a sedative for insomnia and epilepsy. Also used as cholagogue for obstructions of bile duct and gall bladder.

Medicinal uses: Juice of the plant is applied externally for psoriasis, chronic skin eruptions and painful swellings. Flowers mixed with honey are good for coughs and colds. Herb is used as an antipyretic.

Medicinal uses: Fresh or dried leaves of the plant constitute the drug Vasaka and are also used for bronchial troubles and consumption. Leaf juice is used for glandular tumours. Powdered leaves are used for skin disorders.

Medicinal uses: Roots are abortifacient, vesicant and diuretic, used in dyspepsia, haemorrhoids,
anasarca, diarrhoea and skin diseases. Paste of roots is applied for opening abscesses. Infusion of roots is given for influenza and black-water fever.

Medicinal uses: Infusion of the herb with quinine makes a useful combination against malaria. Roots are used as anthelmintic, decoction given for diarrhoea and stomachache, juice for coughs, colic and incontinence of urine, flowers for fever, rheumatism and conjunctivitis and seeds to combat thread worms and round worms.

Medicinal uses: Decoction of leaves is used for healing wounds. Roots along with black pepper corns are used to induce sterility in women. Used against diphtheria, as a carminative and as an anti-oxidant.